Sen. Tom Cotton calls on Israel to ‘finish the job’ in war against Hamas: Full interview

THEY SHOULD END THIS WAR. I THINK WE'RE ON A VRJ OF HAVING AN AGREEMENT AND IT'S TIME TO END IT. >> JOINING ME NOW IS SENATOR TOM COTTON OF ARKANSAS. WELCOME BACK TO "MEET THE PRESS "QWEST. >> THANK YOU, KRISTEN, FOR HAVING ME ON. >> LET'S START WITH THIS DEVASTATING NEWS, THE DISCOVERY OF SIX BODY, HOSTAGES INCLUDING ISRAELI-AMERICAN HERSH GOLDBERG-POLAND. EVERYONE, I THINK, FEELS HEART BROKEN THIS MORNING, THE ENTIRE NATION AND FRANKLY, THE WORLD, MOURNING THESE DEATHS. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION, SENATOR WHAT WILL THIS MEAN FOR HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS? >> IT'S TERRIBLY SAD NEWS THAT HAMAS MURDERED, EXECUTED THESE SIX HOSTAGES IN COLD BLOOD APPARENTLY SHOT IN THE HEAD SHORTLY BEFORE THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN RESCUED BY ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCES. MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL OF THE FAMILIES, SPECIALLY HERSH GOLDBERG'S FAMILY AND ANOTHER AMERICAN STILL TO BE BEINGED FOR. THAT'S WHERE JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS PUT PRESSURE ISRAEL NOT TO ENTER FOR MONTHS USING ARMS EMBARGO TO KEEP THEM FROM ENTERING. KAMALA HARRIS SAID ISRAEL SHOULDN'T HAVE ENTERED RAFAH BECAUSE THEY STUDIED THE MAPS. WHAT THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION SHOULD HAVE DONE FROM THE BEGIN IS NOT PRESSURE ISRAEL ON THE RESPONSE, FOR 11 MONTHS JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS HAVE PUT MORE PRESSURE ON ISRAEL THAN HAMAS AND IRAN AND OTHER TERROR PROXIES. >> THERE IS NO ARMS EMBARGO. IT IS TRUE THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION DID STOP ONE SHIPMENT OF ARMS. >> THAT'S NOT CORRECT. >> IT IS CORRECT THERE IS NO ARMS EMBARGO. >> FOR WEEK, FOR WEEKS THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION PUT AN EMBARGO NOT JUST ON 2,000-POUND BOMBS, BUT ON THINGS LIKE TANK ROUNDS AND ARTILLERY SHELLS. >> NO. IT WAS JUST ONE SHIPMENT OF ARMS. IT WAS THE 2,000-POUND -- >> KRISTEN --? IT WAS A LARGE CATEGORY OF WEAPON, BUT THEY HAVE MOVED FORWARD WITH THAT. IT'S NOT AN ARMS EMBARGO. THAT IS A VERY SPECIFIC TERM AND IT WAS NOT AN ARMS EMBARGO. >> THIS WAS IN PLACE FOR MANY WEEKS SPECIFICALLY TO STOP ISRAEL FROM ENTERING RAFAH WHERE THE HOSTAGES WERE DISCOVERED. IF WE HAD BACKED ISRAEL TO THE HILT THIS WAR WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN OVER AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN FEWER CIVILIAN CASUALTIES CAUSED BY HAMAS' INFLICTION OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES, BUT AT EVERY TURN JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS HAVE PUT MORE PRESSURE ON ISRAEL THAN THEY HAVE ON HAMAS AND IRAN. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT --? KRISTEN IT WAS MANY MORE --? KRISTEN, YOU CAN DO YOUR FACT CHECK THING ALL YOU WANT. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THE REAL FACTS AND IT WAS A LARGE CATEGORY OF WEAPONS FAR BEYOND 2,000-POUND BOMBS. >> BUT IT WASN'T AN ARMS EMBARGO. THAT'S MY POINT. IT WASN'T SPECIFICALLY AN ARMS EMBARGO. LET'S LOOK AT WHAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU IS FACING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE HE'S BEEN FACING PRESSURE. AXIOS REPORTS THAT A SENIOR ISRAELI OFFICIAL SAID, QUOTE, WE WARNED NETANYAHU AND THE CABINET MINISTERS ABOUT THIS EXACT SCENARIO BUT THEY WOULDN'T LISTEN. DO YOU THINK PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU BEARS ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT GETTING A DEAL SOONER? >> NO. I BELIEVE HAMAS BEARS RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT TURNING THESE HOSTAGES BACK OVER TO THEIR FAMILIES AND SURRENDERING. AT EVERY TURN BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAS TRIED -- TRIED TO MEET THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HALF WAY. THEY CONTINUE TO MOVE THE GOALPOST. THEY CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE AND EMBOLDEN HAMAS. CONSIDER WHAT HAPPENED JUST A FEW WEEK AGO WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER WAS HERE TO SPEAK AT THE CAPITOL. KAMALA HARRIS DIDN'T EVEN SIT BEHIND HIM IN THE SESSION OF CONGRESS, ONE OF HER FEW DUTIES AND SHE CAME OUT OF A PRIVATE MEETING SAYING WE NEED A CEASE TYRE NOW. WHAT DID YOU HAVE TWO DAYS LATER? YOU HAD ISRAELI CHILDREN BLOWN UP IN PLAYGROUNDS BECAUSE EVERY TIME KAMALA HARRIS AND JOE BIDEN PUT PRESSURE ISRAEL THERE IS MORE --? YOU HAVE PEOPLE PROTESTING IN THE STREETS. HE IS, OF COURSE, THE LEADER OF ISRAEL AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING YOU ABOUT. DO YOU THINK AND WOULD YOU URGE HIM IN THIS MOMENT, SENATOR, TO GET A DEAL GIVEN THESE CASUALTIES? >> I WOULD URGE HIM TO GET HAMAS WHICH IS WHAT KAMALA HARRIS AND JOE BIDEN HAD DONE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. IF WE HAD BACKED ISRAEL TO THE HILT AND WE HADN'T PRESSURED ISRAEL TO SLOW AND MODERATE ITS RESPONSE HAMAS WOULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN. THE ONLY TIME HAMAS HAS COME CLOSE TO RELEASING HOSTAGES IS WHEN THEY ARE ON THE ROPES. >> OF COURSE, THE U.S. HAS GIVEN MORE AID BOTH MILITARY AND MONETARY TO ISRAEL THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY. >> TO BE EXACT, WE'VE GIVEN HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS IN DOLLARS IN RELIEF TO IRAN. >> SOME OF THE MONEY, OF COURSE, IS FROZEN. LET'S MOVE ON TO SOME DOMESTIC ISSUES, IF WE COULD. THE ISSUE OF ABORTION FRONT AND CENTER THIS WEEK. DONALD TRUMP HAS GONE FROM CALLING HIMSELF THROUGHOUT THE ARC OF TIME VERY PRO-CHOICE AT ONE POINT. HE'S MORE RECENTLY BRAGGED ABOUT OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE AND NOW HE WILL VOTE TO KEEP FLORIDA'S SIX-WEEK ABORTION BAN IN PLACE SOMETHING HE ONCE DESCRIBED AS TERRIBLE. HOW CAN PEOPLE TRUST TRUMP ON THIS ISSUE? >> THERE'S ONLY ONE CANDIDATE IN THIS RACE WHO SUPPORTS A NATIONWIDE ABORTION LAW IS KAMALA HARRIS BECAUSE WE VOTED ON IT. IT IS A RADICAL EXTREME AND IT WOULD REQUIRE TAXPAYER FUNDING UP TO THE MOMENT OF BIRTH AND THAT'S WHAT SHE STANDS FOR. SHE'S THE ONLY ONE IN THIS RACE CALLING FOR A NATIONWIDE ABORTION LAW SOMETHING THAT IS WILDLY UNPOPULAR. >> THE BILL YOU'RE TALKING TO REQUIRES THERE WILL BE EXCEPTIONS OF HEALTH AND NOT THAT ALL ABORTIONS BE LEGAL IN ALL CASES. >> DONALD TRUMP SAID HE SUPPORTS EXCEPTIONS WHEN A WOMAN'S HEALTH IS AT RISK AND WHEN SHE'S THE VICTIM OF RAPE AND INCEST. 50 YEARS DIDN'T REQUIRE TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR ABORTIONS. >> IT IS CURRENTLY ILLEGAL UNDER THE HYDE AMENDMENT AND ABORTIONS 21 WEEKS AND AFTER ARE EXTREMELY RARE. >> IF THEY'RE SO RARE IN THE CASE OF A HEALTH EMERGENCY. >> WHY WON'T KAMALA HARRIS SAY FINE, WHY NOT ALLOW THEM? >> BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN FOR HEALTH EMERGENCIES. >> IF YOU HAVE THOSE EXCEPTIONS IT WILL ACCOUNT FOR THOSE RARE HEALTH EMERGENCIES. SO WHY WON'T SHE SAY. >> THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS UP TO THE TIME OF VIABILITY WITH EXCEPTIONS, STATES ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE EXCEPTIONS. >> KAMALA HARRIS VOTED AGAINST THE BORN ALIVE VICTIMS PROTECTION ACT. >> SHE DID NOT. >> SENATOR, SHE VOTE -- ON. >> I WAS THERE. SHE VOTED AGAINST IT. >> SHE VOTED AGAINST ADVANCING THE BILL TWICE. >> IF THESE CASES ARE SO RARE IN LATE-TERM PREGNANCY THEN WHY WON'T SHE SAY YOU KNOW WHAT? WE SHOULD PROHIBIT THESE WITH THE EXCEPTIONS FOR THE MOTHER'S LIFE, WHY WON'T SHE SAY THAT? BECAUSE SHE IS A RADICAL ON ABORTION. >> SHE VOTED AGAINST ADVANCING THE BILL TWICE. SHE CALLED IT EXTREME. I INTERVIEWED J.D. VANCE LAST WEEK. HE TOLD ME DONALD TRUMP WOULD VETO A FEDERAL ABORTION BAN IF IT CAME TO HIS DESK. NOW TRUMP IS NOT COMMITTING TO THAT. DO YOU THINK HE WOULD SIGN THAT VETO IF IT CAME TO HIS DESK? >> KRISTEN, I THINK IT'S A HYPOTHETICAL FIRST OFF. WE BOTH KNOW THERE WILL NOT BE 60 VOTES IN THE SENATE ANY TIME SOON FOR EITHER PARTIES, PREFERRED OR CENTRIST POSITION ON ABORTION WHETHER IT'S THE RADICAL POSITION THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE OR THE PRO-LIFE POSITION THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE. WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN CONSISTENT IS THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A NATIONWIDE ABORTION LAW WHILE HE'S PRESIDENT. HE APPOINTED THREE JUSTICES WHO REVERSED ROE V. WADE THAT EVEN LIBERAL SCHOLARS ACKNOWLEDGE IT WAS POORLY REASONED AND RETURNED IT TO WHERE IT HAS RESTED FOR 170 YEARS WHICH IS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MAKING CHOICES THROUGH THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AT THEIR STATES. STATES WILL HAVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LAWS. DONALD TRUMP HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT. >> I HEAR YOU SAYING THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN CONSISTENT, BUT AS WE SHOWED HE'S ACTUALLY PIVOTED QUITE A BIT ON THIS ISSUE, BUT J.D. VANCE WAS VERY CLEAR. HE SAID DONALD TRUMP WOULD VETO A NATIONWIDE BAN, AND I GUESS THE QUESTION IS WHY CAN'T TRUMP BE CLEAR WITH PEOPLE WHERE WHERE HE STANDS? I KNOW YOU'RE STAYING IT'S A HYPOTHETICAL, BUT ARE YOU CLEAR ABOUT WHAT HE WOULD DO? ? HE HAS BEEN CLEAR THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A NATIONWIDE ABORTION LAW WHEN HE IS PRESIDENT. HE'S BEEN PERFECTLY CONSISTENT ON THAT. KAMALA HARRIS HAS BEEN CONSISTENT AND NOT TRIED HER RADICAL POSITION ON ABORTION AND IT'S THE ONLY ONE SHE HASN'T HID IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS LIKE BANNING GAS CARS AND BANNING FRACING. >> I'LL TALK TO RO KHANNA COMING UP DONALD TRUMP, HIS BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. HE WANTS TO FORCE INSURANCE COMPANIES TO COVER IVF. IS THAT WHAT YOU SUPPORT? >> TO MY KNOWLEDGE ALL REPUBLICANS SUPPORT IVF. IT IS EXPENSIVE FOR MANY COUPLES, I UNDERSTAND THAT, SO IT'S SOMETHING I'M OPEN TO THAT MOST REPUBLICANS WILL BE OPEN TO. I THINK WE HAVE TO EVALUATE THE FISCAL IMPACT AND WHETHER THE TAXPAYER CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR THIS AND WHAT IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE ON PREMIUMS AND IN PRINCIPLE SUPPORTING COUPLES IS SOMETHING THAT'S NOT CONTROVERSIAL AT ALL. >> YOU VOTE AGAINST SOMETHING THAT WOULD EXPAND IVF ACCESS AND SOME COVERAGE WOULD BE COVERED BY INSURANCE PLANS. >> YOU MEAN CHUCK SCHUMER'S RIDICULOUS EMERGENCY BILL THAT REQUIRES MEN WHO THINK THEY'RE WOMEN? >> IT'S A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE PROTECTION EXPANDED IVF. >> CHUCK SCHUMER HAS SPENT ALL SUMMER LONG SLAPPING TOGETHER RIDICULOUS BILLS THAT HE THINKS WILL HELP HIS LIBERAL INCUMBENT SENATORS FACE OFF. >> JUST VERY QUICKLY, DO YOU KNOW WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD COME FROM TO COVER EVF BECAUSE IN 2022 SOME $8 BILLION WERE PAID. >> WE'D HAVE TO EVALUATE SPECIFIC LEGISLATION -- >> IT WOULD NOT BE TAXPAYER DOLLARS. >> I WOULD HAVE TO EVALUATE SPECIFIC LEGISLATION. >> YOU ARE STILL UNDECIDED WHERE YOU STAND ON THIS PLAN. >> IT'S NOT EVEN A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE IN ANY OF THE 50 STATES. >> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT ANOTHER ONE OF THE BIG HEADLINES THIS WEEK. DONALD TRUMP'S VISIT TO ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY. YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS. HE ATTENDED A WREATH-LAYING CEREMONY FOR THE 13 SERVICE MEMBERS WHO WERE KILLED FROM THE U.S. WITHDRAW FROM AFGHANISTAN. HE WAS INVITED BY THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS AND IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT. HE HAD CAMPAIGN STAFFERS, PHOTOS AND VIDEOS WERE POSTED ON A CAMPAIGN SITE. TAKING CAMPAIGN VOTERS AND VIDEOS AT GRAVE SITES IS FORBIDDEN UNDER FEDERAL LAW. YOU OF COURSE, SERVED IN ARLINGTON CEMETERY IN THE OLD GUARD SO I KNOW THIS IS A SACRED PLACE FOR YOU. BOTTOM LINE, SENATOR, IS IT EVER APPROPRIATE TO TAKE CAMPAIGN PHOTOS AT GRAVE SITES? >> THEIR CHILDREN DIED BECAUSE OF JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS' INCOMPETENCE AND THEY INVITED HIM TO TAKE THOSE PHOTOS. WHEN I POKE TO THE PARENTS OF TAYLOR HOOVER WHO HAS ARKANSAS TIES. THEY DON'T GET TO GO TO THE BEACH ON LABOR DAY OR HAVE BARBECUES AND THIS IS THE ONE CHANCE TO COMMEMORATE THEIR SERVICE AND HONOR THEIR SACRIFICE. THEY WANTED DONALD TRUMP THERE. JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS. SHE WAS FOUR MILES AWAY, TEN MINUTES SHE COULD HAVE GONE TO THE CEMETERY AND HONORED THE SACRIFICE OF THOSE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, BUT SHE HASN'T. SHE NEVER HAS SPOKEN TO THEM OR TAKEN A MEETING. >> THEY WERE WITH THEM AT THE DIGNIFIED TRANSFER. HER AND JOE BIDEN'S INCOMPETENCE THOSE 13 MEMBERS WERE KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN. >> WELL, NOT EVERYONE WAS PLEASED WITH THIS, AGAIN, THE LAW SAYS MEMORIAL SERVICES AT ARMY AND MILITARY CEREMONIES WILL NOT INCLUDE PARTISAN. >> IT WAS POSTED ON A CAMPAIGN SIDE, ON HIS SITE. >> HE DIDN'T WEAR A MAGA HAT. >> JUST LIKE JOE BIDEN HAS POSTED CONTENT OF HIMSELF IN THE CEMETERY. HE WASN'T WITH CAMPAIGN STAFFERS. >> THEY'RE ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS. THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO GO THERE AND TO HONOR THE SACRIFICE OF THOSE 13 AMERICANS WHO JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS SENT TO THEIR DEATH. >> LET ME ASK YOU WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM ANOTHER FAMILY. THE FAMILY OF MASTER SERGEANT ANDREW MARCHESANO. HE WAS A GREEN BERET. HIS FAMILY IS CONCERNED THAT HIS GRAVE WAS POSTED ON A PICTURE THAT WAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. WE HOPE THAT THOSE VISITING THIS SACRED SITE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE WERE REAL PEOPLE THAT SACRIFICED OUR FREEDOM AND WERE HONORED AND RESPECTING A APPROPRIATELY? THOSE FAMILIES WANTED THE PHOTOS. THEY TOLD ME YESTERDAY THEY SPECIFICALLY ASKED PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR THE PHOTOS. OBVIOUSLY HEADSTONES AT ARLINGTON ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. WHAT ABOUT THE MARCHESANO'S? >> WHEN YOU TAKE A PHOTO, IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT "THE NEW YORK TIMES" WENT AND FOUND A FAMILY WHOSE HEADSTONE WAS FEATURED IN THE PHOTOGRAPH AND WENT TO THEM TO TRY TO EMBARRASS THE GOLD STAR FAMILIES WHO WANTED PRESIDENT TRUMP THERE. >> VERY QUICKLY, HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DONALD TRUMP IF HE DOES WIN? >> WE'LL BEGIN SOME OF THE DAMAGE THAT JOE BIDEN AND KAMA